West:
San Antonio Spurs (1) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (2)
-The Spurs swept the Clippers last series, and the Thunder took care of the Lakers in five games.
Thunder: Led by superstars Durant and Westbrook, the Thunder impressively defeated the Lakers in five games. Their youth has served them well, up to this point. Scotty Brooks is a great coach, and playing in the Oklahoma City arena is a challenge of its own. This young Thunder squad have momentum, and belief in themselves. They won't play scared of this Spurs team, whom they were beaten by two out of three times this year. James Harden as their 3rd scorer is electric, and Sefolosha is a lock-down defender. Ibaka and Perkins are a solid defensive front-court. The Thunder are much younger than the Spurs, and certainly more explosive. However, they really struggle against the pick-and-roll with Parker and Duncan. Durant is making a case for the NBA's best player this playoffs, and is the game's best scorer and closer.
Spurs: The Spurs are 29-2 in their last 31 games. Yes, 29-2. And have not lost in the 2012 playoffs. They made quick riddance of the Jazz and Clippers. Popovich is a mastermind as a coach, and the Spurs' trio of Ginobili, Parker, and Duncan have been dominant. The Spurs feature the NBA's most deep bench, with a basically 11 man rotation. Their depth is incredible, and they have tons of shooters. The Spurs are a veteran team who play with chemistry and experience. Their passing makes them a beautiful thing to watch. Tony Parker will be a headache for the Thunder to guard. They really struggle to contain him in pick-and-roll situations. How the Spurs try to slow down Durant is key to the series.
Prediction: Spurs in six games. The Thunder have more talent. More athleticism. More youth. More speed. But like the Mavericks last year, the Spurs are the best TEAM. They may not be as exciting as the Thunder, but they will get the job done.
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